


behind the story

by fromthefarshore



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Birthday, M/M, Spells & Enchantments, related to Tanabata
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-07
Updated: 2014-07-07
Packaged: 2018-02-07 20:28:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1912722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromthefarshore/pseuds/fromthefarshore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Midorima thought that it wasn't fair that everyone except him could be happy on <i>his</i> day while on every birthday Midorima himself would feel lonely, empty and sorrowful, unpleasant feelings consuming him from inside. And the worst part was that he couldn't change it himself, apparently the meaning of this suffering hiding behind the story of the festival of stars.</p>
            </blockquote>





	behind the story

When Midorima finally checks his phone in the morning, there are already several text messages received and the device buzzes once again in his hands, another message popping on its screen: _Happy birthday, Midorimacchi!_ followed by dozens of weird symbols that most probably were supposed to look like some kind of a happy smiling face. He sighs heavily, goes through other messages containing the same words and puts his phone away, with no intention of replying to any of them. When he leaves his room to go to the kitchen, his sister springs from behind the corner, a jolly smile never leaving her face when she grabs him by shirt, pulling him down and gifting with a kiss on a cheek. 

"Happy birthday!" she chirps and runs away right ahead, snickering to herself. Midorima is positive that it's Takao's influence that's making her act like this and he asks himself what has he ever done wrong to be damned with not only one, but now two overjoyed annoying people in his life. Or make it three, he takes a deep breath and shakes his head slightly, because Kise more or less counts, too. 

It's not fair, though, how everyone around him can enjoy _his_ day, except from Midorima himself. The hollow feeling inside himself is spreading with every minute and he hates how he has to suffer through his birth day every single year, and it only gets worse. And the thing is that he can't share this burden with anyone because people call him superstitious and crazy a lot even when it comes only to horoscopes and his lucky items, so the possibility that they would believe something bigger than that is so remarkably low that Midorima doesn't even try. Because that's all a one big fraud, according to them. But Midorima knows better. 

"Is everything alright?" his mother acknowledges his presence with a short glance at his direction. It is, he says because he can't make himself worry his mother even more. She sighs heavily, turning around to face him, a small cup in her hands. "Drink this. Your grandmother said it should relieve you of that, I suppose, unpleasant feeling," she bites her lip, seeming guilty, as if everything is her fault. "I'm sorry," she says in a whisper when Midorima takes the cup and sips the bitter herbal tea. 

"I'm fine, don't worry. It's not the first time," he even manages a small smile, swallowing the fact that the feeling is much heavier than before. She nods slightly and goes back to her own affairs, leaving the kitchen after a few minutes just like on any other day, the words 'happy birthday' never leaving her mouth as not like Midorima's sister his mother knows how painful it is to hear that. 

They never celebrate his birthday covering it up with the fact that he hates birthday parties, but it's not that. He has nothing against them, however, he simply can't enjoy it himself and he can't stand the fact that everyone would be merry around him while he would silently suffer alone, a fake mask of happiness on his face. So he makes it look as if he hates such a celebration, and does a marvellous job as after a couple of times of trying everyone has given up on birthday parties and now simply congratulates him without any fuss. 

Midorima tries to convince himself that everything would have been different if not for his birth date, but he can't change it now and no one else could have. It just happens, there's no way to escape it, his grandmother told him long ago when he asked her why he feels so lonely, so empty and sorrowful on his own birthday. From time to time, his grandmother said, the child born on the day of Tanabata would become like this, feeling as if he has lost someone, as if he forgot about someone and now his whole being misses that person. She asked him if he knew the story behind this festival of stars and Midorima found himself nodding, telling everything perfectly well as if it was his own story even though he has never heard it full before. He told her about the stars Vega and Altair, the names he had never thought he knew, and how they represent the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi – weaving princess and cow herder who became lovers and afterwards forgot about their responsibilities, Orihime no longer weaving cloth and Hikoboshi's cows being allowed to stray all over Heaven. While pouting ever so slightly he would talk how Orihime's father got angry and decided to separate them, the only occasion when they could meet becoming the day of Tanabata. Midorima would frown after telling the story and being asked various questions from his grandmother. She asked him for details of the story just to find out that he knew everything there was to know, and step by step they were coming closer and closer to the situation Midorima was in. She explained to Midorima, the little boy he was, how this story was crafted into him, how it was part of him and he shared his destiny with the deities he had told of. It was some kind of an old enchantment that was bestowed on a child once in many years and nothing could be done to evade it, the kid would grow like any other kids, with an exception on the birthdays when the feeling of loneliness and fear would come, until the day the longing person, the other half appears on the day of the festival of stars and the spell will be broken, eventuating in a different sort of the story behind Tanabata, the one, where the lovers wouldn't have to wait the whole year to meet for a one day only. And after hearing that Midorima would cry, sobbing while his fingers curled around the hem of his shirt, his shoulders trembling as he would mutter that it's _not fair_. 

But when was anything really fair, he sighs now, taking another sip of the hot drink. Tea burns the longing hurtful feeling inside him, but it comes back moments after, and then he takes another sip and everything recurs. 

He doesn't eat much as it only makes him nauseous, and when he comes back to his room, Midorima is relieved that today seems to be rather peaceful, no one has really bothered him so far and time is going faster than he has thought it would. 

He spends most of the day folding origami magpies. It comes natural to him, as everything goes according to the story that's in his blood. The first time the lovers tried to meet, they were on the different shores of the river, he remembers, but there was no bridge. However, when the magpies heard the cries of Orihime, they promised to make a bridge with their wings so that she could go to the other side. Midorima thought it was ridiculous of his nature to hope that birds from paper would bring him closer to escaping this spell that was casted onto him, but he couldn't stop himself, unconsciously glancing through the window to make sure that it's not raining as otherwise magpies couldn't come and help the lovers. 

On earlier days during Tanabata, late in the evening he would go out in the streets, dressed in yukata, fooling himself that attending the festival where the deities meet would make him feel better, but it proved to be otherwise. He came to conclusion, that the story inside himself was separate from the original tale. It was almost the same, but maybe more like another version of it. The one where he never met that someone, the one where he was jealous of Hikoboshi and Orihime because even if only once a year but they _could_ meet while he was all alone. So he stopped going there, avoiding the festival as much as the birthday parties, saying to others that he didn't like the crowds of silly people who gather in the streets just because everyone else is doing so. 

He doesn't really know how, but he has ended up dressed in yukata. He isn't going anywhere, though. He's sitting in his room, drinking another cup of that herbal tea, which now doesn't have an effect at all, as he thinks if his hair and eye colour has something to do with Hikoboshi and the meadows where he would look after the animals. It fits quite well and even the fact that it's the feature of the whole family doesn't stop him from believing so. 

He finishes his tea and takes a deep breath, closing his eyes and trying to run away from that horrible feeling inside his chest. It feels as if something is ripping him apart, trying to get everything out of him and leave the void only. It has never been so painful before and it seems as if he's being tortured for the horrid sin he has no memory of committing. A few more hours and it will go away, he mutters to himself, a few more hours and it will stop, it will be over, he tries to calm himself down as the every breath he takes is almost choking him. It seems to be getting worse and worse, and worse, never stopping, and Midorima's eyes start to sting, as if he's been crying for days. He blinks a few times, saying to himself that everything's fine, that he'll be okay, but he knows that at least for now he won't, because he can't live all alone, because he longs for someone so much that he thinks he might die. 

He doesn't hear the bell ring, or how someone opens the door, but the chipper voice, saying _Good evening_ reaches his ears and he freezes, his heart starting to beat faster from the fear that is unfolding in his chest like some venomous flower. 

"Takao?" he mutters to himself, not believing it, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He goes over various scenarios in his head, trying to figure out what is the dark haired boy doing here. He can hear the footsteps, louder and louder, getting closer to his room, and he _can't_ let Takao see him like this. He stands up, taking deep breaths even though it hurts him, and however difficult it is he plasters an indifferent expression across his face, holding everything inside himself as he hears a silent knock on the door and after a second Takao's smiling face appears in front of him. 

"What are you doing here?" Midorima clears his throat, his eyes following every move Takao makes while he's getting closer to Midorima in smaller than usual steps because, likewise Midorima himself, Takao's dressed in dark yukata. 

"Really, Shin-chan, what am I doing here?" he laughs silently, lamely covering his mouth with a hand as if that'd help from Midorima noticing him grin. "I wonder myself, what I could be doing here on 7th of July when all of my messages and calls were nicely ignored," he lets out a puff, crossing his arms over the chest, "That's mean, you know." 

"Oh," Midorima mutters automatically when everything is put to their places in his mind. Tanabata. And his birthday. Takao must have come because of that, he hisses internally at himself as he opens his mouth to say that he's not interested in the festival. 

" _Oh_ ," Takao mimics him, his eyes gleaming in the dim room, his lips turning into a smile, "I know you don't want to go to festival and so on," he wavers his hand, rolling his eyes just a bit, but the smile never leaves his face. 

"Then why are you here?" Midorima sighs, his lips in a tight line, and he bites them from inside, trying to control the pain he's in. And it seems he's doing great, because Takao doesn't say a thing about that. 

"Why, indeed," he laughs again instead and he steps even closer, bringing his hand on Midorima's shoulder, "What do you think, congratulating you sounds like quite a good reason, doesn't it?" he looks at Midorima with those silvering eyes as if he's waiting for an answer, but at the same time it seems like he's not, and Midorima blinks, because something is wrong. It feels as if that void inside him tries to escape, to explode; it feels like something is screaming in his head and he's not sure if what comes next is better or worse. It feels like he's being consumed by suffering and fear of losing this touch, but at the same time he feels as if little warm needles are bunting him ever so gently, creating a rather pleasant feeling compared to everything he's been through today, sending some kind of shivering sensation through his all body, and he can't make himself move. 

"So," Takao licks his lips, then takes a deeper breath, "Happy birthday, Shin-chan. And as for the gift," he smiles tenderly, "I think there's only one thing you need, but you won't ask it yourself, so I'll just give it to you like a present," he half snorts, half chuckles, closing his eyes as he's taking the last step, his arms wrapping around Midorima in a simple hug. And something clicks at that moment, and everything inside Midorima collapses, fills that hollowness with something that takes his breath away and he gasps silently because he doesn't know what's going on. He can see a hardly visible green smoke or light of the sort, it's beyond his understanding, that is starting to surround him like the aura and it's all moving and stretching, as if reaching for something and then intertwining with it. He must be hallucinating, because there's no way that the same thing is happening with Takao, just the colour is different, it's silver with gleams of blue, and it starts to interflow with the green one, both of them appearing from nowhere and disappearing into nowhere. _It's happening_ , a sweet voice he's never heard before whispers somewhere inside his head and it takes Midorima a moment to understand the meaning behind it. 

"This is ridiculous," he blurts out and he can't hold a smile when Takao pulls away just enough to look at Midorima. He blinks for a few times, looking around, and probably for the first time Midorima sees him lost, not knowing _how_ to react. 

"These things– What is going on, Shin-chan?" his grip is getting loose, so Midorima takes hold of Takao's arms, stopping him from letting go. Takao blinks fast and sheepishly shakes his head, "Why are you smiling, it's not funny." 

"Because you're like..." Midorima takes a deep breath and he feels how his voice trembles slightly, "Like Orihime," he meets Takao's confused stare, but the boy doesn't back off as if he's waiting for explanation. "Please let me," Midorima lowers his eyes and slowly pulls his fingers away from Takao's arms and carefully wounds his arms around the dark haired boy. He's not sure what he is doing, but the voice inside his head encourages him, and he knows he _has_ to do this, has to share everything with Takao and it seems to be the easiest way to do it. He inhales deeply, then presses their bodies together. The green easily mixes with the silver, surrounding both of them, and when Midorima closes his eyes and places his palms fully on Takao's back, the dark haired boy's eyes widen even more, gleaming even brighter than before when the story, the meaning of Midorima's birthday, when _everything_ is being transmitted in some unbelievable way to him, and suddenly he starts laughing as finally it all makes sense. 

"This is crazy," he laughs, resting his head against Midorima's shoulder and embracing him tight, but his laughter sounds genuine, not panicked or mocking, making fun of Midorima; it sounds honest and relieved, reverberating from the walls, and it seems like it will never stop. "And here I thought that blindly believing in horoscopes was something extraordinary," he giggles silently, then sighs heavily. "So I'm the princess?" he pulls back a bit, a grin decorating his face. 

"Not the princess, but _like_ her," Midorima rolls his eyes, and his fingers tremble when he moves them on Takao's shoulders, silently waiting for the answer. To think that Takao of all people would be the person he was longing for, Midorima looks at the boy in front of him, smiling and looking as if he has just heard the most amazing thing ever. And it could work, Midorima thinks to himself, it really could work, and if only Takao says yes, all the sufferings would stop, it would be really over. 

"My sister has always said that I would make a great princess," he chuckles and winks, and Midorima wonders if Takao is the best thing that has ever happened to him, or the worst one, because how can he be so casual about it when they're talking about things that aren't of this world, about becoming some kind of version of Orihime and Hikoboshi themselves, about interconnecting their lives for eternity. 

"Are you sure, though?" Midorima clears his throat, casting his eyes away from Takao, but then looking back right at him, locking their eyes, demanding for the answer. 

"I think I would have stormed out the moment this all started if I wasn't," he smiles warmly, "Or at least when there was something about the kiss," he narrows his eyes, and tries to catch Midorima's glare when the boy looks away, "There was, right?" 

"Yes, you are correct, there was," he sighs nervously, nodding. It's like in fairy tales where a kiss breaks the spell, and this is nothing but preposterous, if you asked Midorima, but he's not the one that has made up the rules, and in fact this was new to the green eyed boy himself. "So you're really sure?" he asks in whisper again, because he just can't believe it and he's afraid that it's not true. 

"Yes, Shin-chan, yes, I am," Takao smiles and moves his hands to cup Midorima's face as he pulls him into the kiss before Midorima decides to say something again. 

And the colours around them become brighter for a second before clearing away as if they have never appeared in the first place. Midorima doesn't even realise when Takao pulls away and is brought back to reality only by Takao's ringing laughter. And god if it isn't the best feeling Midorima has had in years. He smiles slightly, bringing his hand into Takao's hair, the soft, silk hair, dark as the sky itself, and it feels wonderful. 

"So, is it over now?" Takao asks and Midorima nods in approval because _yes_ , it finally is. Takao releases the breath he's been holding and leans into the touch of Midorima's fingers, "Say whatever you want, but I think that's the most hardcore birthday present ever," he tries to say it in a serious voice, but fails miserably and breaks into laughter. "Happy birthday once more, Shin-chan." 

Midorima's lips turn into a small beam as he closes his eyes and for first time in many years sincerely says, "Thank you." 


End file.
